Friday, 25 May 2007

Arrangements have been finalised for travelling to germany for the G8 protests (1st-8th june). For anyone who has not booked yet, we recommend joining the Globalise Resistance delegation which is leaving from London on the 1st of June.

Here's what's on offer:

OutwardBus from London early on Friday 1 June (exact time will be announced soon) to Harwich. People are welcome to make their own way to Harwich and save themselves £15, especially if you aren't travelling from London. Groups such as students and trade unionists might want to organise minibusses or coaches to get there.Ferry (leaves at 0900 from Harwich to Hook of Holland (arrives about 1615)Bus leaves Hook of Holland to Rostock, stopping in Utrecht to pick up Dutch activistsArrive Rostock Saturday morning.

Some activists have already booked flights individually from London Stanstead to Hamburg Lubeck on the 1st of June, and it is still possible to do so with Ryan Air, however bare in mind costs will go up and it would be necessary to book asap. those of us flying are making arrangements to meet up with the Globalise Resistance bus on Rostock, and there are also already students from the glasgow group travelling on the bus.

If you're going to germany please arrange travel now if you haven't done so as it is just a week away.

Thursday, 10 May 2007

Physical attacks by right-wing groups on meetings of the IndonesianNational Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas - see) continue to escalate (seetranslated articles from Indonesian press below). Their objective seemsto be to disrupt attempts by Papernas to get registered as an electoralparty in time for the 2009 presidential elections. After the massacre ofup to a million leftists and social activists in Indonesia 1965, theanti-communist hysteria being promoted by these right-wing groups isdeeply menacing.

The situation is quite bad now and some office bearers ofthe new party have been intimidated into resigning after beingthreatened with having their homes burnt down by these right-wing thugs.

If you or friends can approach human rights and civilliberties groups or prominent democratic rights advocates to sendmessages supporting the democratic right of Papernas to organise, pleasesend them to Katarina Pujiastuti at.

These articles are the translated by James Balowski from the INDOLEFTnews service is produced by the Institute of Liberation, Media andSocial Studies (LPMIS) and Action in Solidarity with Asia and thePacific. See for more information.

Imron Rosyid, Solo -- Dozens of members of Surakarta Islamic CommunityMilitia (LUIS) forcibly broke up a conference being held by the NationalLiberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in the Central Java city ofSukoharjo on Sunday March 29. Islamic groups in Jakarta have takensimilar actions against Papernas.

The LUIS members blockaded the entrance to the conference venue at theGajah House on Jl. Yos Sudarso in the Tanjung Anom area of Sukoharjo.Members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) (sic) even frisked a policeintelligence officer who they accused of being a provocateur. "We haveevidence, Papernas is PKI [Indonesian Communist Party]", said LUISgeneral secretary Khoirul Suparjo.

Shouting "God is great", the LUIS members who were wearing robes andturbans arrived on motorbikes and an open pickup truck. Papernas memberswho believed they already had a permit to hold the event tried to holdthem off from inside the building. However because the LUIS membersoutnumbered conference participants, some of them decided to leave thevenue before the event started.

Sukoharjo Regent Bambang Riyanto, who was wearing tennis sportswear,then facilitated a dialogue between the two groups in order to preventanarchic acts. The head of the Papernas conference organising committee,Onang Tiyoso eventually gave in and agreed to halt the event but underthe condition that all FPI members must leave the location before theydisbanded. "In formal terms, Papernas does in fact actually have apermit for the activity, but in order that the local situation remainsfavorable, I have asked Papernas to cancel the event", said Riyanto.

Suparjo said that his organisation would continue to hunt down Papernasmembers that want to organise similar activities saying based on thestatutes and rules of association that they have on the party, Papernasis communist. He cited the Papernas' program of Tripanji(1), theprotection of prostitutes and so forth as evidence that they areidentical to the PKI.

Meanwhile the chairperson of Papernas' Central Java Regional LeadershipBoard, Kelik Ismunanto said he regretted the LUIS' actions in forciblybreaking up the event. According to Ismunanto, regardless of LUIS'perceptions of Papernas they do not have the authority to prohibit orbreak up their events. "Our party is registered with the Department ofJustice and Human Rights, we will be participating in the 2009 generalelections and we had already obtained a permit for the event from thepolice", said Ismunanto while promising that they would take legalaction against LUIS over the incident.

Notes:

1. Tripanji - Papernas' Three Banners of National Unity: Abolishing theforeign debt, nationalising the mining industry and build the nationalindustry for the welfare of the people.

* * *

Papernas declaration in Sukoharjo broken up by right-wing thugs

(Adds details on previous posting – JB.)

Radar Solo - April 30, 2007

Sukoharjo -- A tense situation developed at the declaration of theNational Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in Sukoharjo, CentralJava, that was to be held yesterday afternoon. Even before Papernasmembers had begun the meeting, dozens of members of the SukoharjoIslamic Defenders Front (FPI) had occupied the Gajah Tanjung AnomBuilding where the event was to be held.

Led by Ustad (Islamic teacher) Khoirul, the FPI members, who had beenarriving since 10am, began to pour into the venue where the event was tobe held. They immediately moved towards the auditorium that had been setaside by the Papernas organising committee.

FPI's arrival caused confusion among some of the Papernas members. "Wehave come here to break up this event. We are asking that Papernas bedisbanded and not be allowed to exist in Indonesia. Because Papernas isan embryo of the PKI (Indonesian Communist Party - Ed.). Where is thecommittee chairperson, I want to meet them", ordered Khoirul in a shrillvoice.

Not wanting to create a problem, several of the Papernas members thatwere already present left the venue one by one. Unfortunately the FPImembers prevented this. "Don't let them leave. The ones that were hereearlier, order them all back inside", Khoirul instructed his subordinates.

It was not just members of Papernas that were harassed, but also otherpeople in the vicinity who they considered suspicious. Tensions reacheda climax when the FPI frisked a Sukoharjo district police intelligenceofficer that had been guarding the venue from the start. If he wasindeed a police officer, the FPI asked the man to show them his identitycard.

A National Unity and Social Protection Agency (Kasbang Linmas) officialalso suffered a similar fate. Becoming suspicious about his actions, theFPI immediately accosted him. As well as examining his identificationpapers, they also asked for the photographs on his cell phone to beerased. The FPI members even asked the man to take off his shirt andshow them a tattoo on his body.

"This is a picture and symbol of the PKI. Because we know that earlieryou were inside and now you are going back inside", asserted one of theFPI members while pointing at the tattoo on the Kasbang Linmasofficial's body.

After a short while Sukoharjo Regent Bambang Riyanto arrived. He hadcome to facilitate a dialogue between the two camps in order to resolvethe problem peacefully. This was because Riyanto wanted the situation inSukoharjo to remain 'conducive'.

The two parties met at around 11.30am. Papernas eventually agreed not togo ahead with the event and asked its members who were already presentto return home. Following this, one by one the FPI members left thelocation. (mg2/mg3)

* * *Media Indonesia - April 30, 2007

Papernas flags burnt at FPI protest in Bekasi

Golda Eksa, Bekasi -- Around 30 members of the Bekasi Islamic DefendersFront (FPI) gave speeches and set fire to flags of the NationalLiberation Party of Unity (Papernas) in front of the Bekasi municipalgovernment offices on Monday April 30. They also brought banners andposters with messages opposing Papernas.

"Papernas, is a reincarnation of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).Papernas [says it] is populist democratic. This term is the camouflagethat is usually used by communists or socialist in Indonesia like thePKI. It is because of this that we don't want the party to grow anddevelop", said action coordinator Ustad (title of Islamic teacher)Abdurrahman.

Abdurrahman went on to say that the PKI's once cause the nation to looseits best sons. Moreover he said, thousands of Muslims were wiped out bythe PKI.

After giving speeches for around an hour, the protesters set fire toPapernas flags shouting that they will not tolerate Papernas' presence,especially in Bekasi.

From the Bekasi government offices, they then moved off to continue theaction at the Bekasi City Regional House of Representatives on Jl.Chairul Anwar in East Bekasi under the tight security of the Bekasimunicipal police. (GG/OL-02).

[Translated by James Balowski.]

Papernas postpones regional meeting to avoid clash with FPI

Liputan 6 - April 30, 2007

Sukoharjo -- The National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) continuesto come under pressure. Again and again the Islamic Defenders Front(FPI) has attempted to break up Papernas events. This time it was ameeting to establish a regional leadership board in Sukoharjo, CentralJava, on Sunday April 29.

Without showing any hesitation, FPI members moved in and tried to evictPapernas members who had arrived at the Gajah Sukoharjo Building for theevent. Tensions rose between the two camps and police moved in quicklybefore a clash could break out.

The two groups were then brought together for a dialogue facilitated bySukoharjo Regent Bambang Riyanto. The FPI said it objected to Papernasbecause it has a communist ideology that his banned in Indonesia. In theend the Papernas members decided to postpone the meeting because itcould potentially result in a brawl.

On March 29 Papernas demonstrators clashed with the FPI in the DukuhAtas area on Sudirman, Central Jakarta. Several people were injuredincluding two children and a middle-ranking police officer from theTanah Abang sectoral police. (TOZ/Ferry Aditri)

* * *

Right-wing thugs attempt to disrupt May Day in Yogyakarta

Khairul Ikhwan, Yogyakarta -- A commemoration of May Day in Yogyakartawas almost marred by a clash when protesters from the YogyakartaPeople's and Worker Alliance (ARPY) were unexpectedly waylaid by membersof the Anti-Communist Front (FAKI) and the Yogyakarta Islamic DefendersFront (FPI).

The FAKI and FPI members accused the ARPY of being infiltrated by theNational Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) that they claim has acommunist ideology.

The incident occurred at intersection in front of the central postoffice when a man climbed up onto an open pickup truck that ARPY wasusing as a platform and dragged a person giving a speech off thevehicle. Initially the ARPY activists were too shocked to react but wereeventually able to rescue their colleague.

Tension rose as FAKI and ARPY members confronted each other butfortunately police were able separate the two groups before a clashcould break out.

Five thousand workers rally in Medan for May Day

May Day was also commemorated by thousands of workers in the NorthSumatra provincial capital of Medan with around 5,000 workers rallied atthe North Sumatra DPRD and the Medan State Court.

The workers, who came from a number of labour organisations such as theNorth Sumatra Trade Union (SBSU) and the Indonesian Prosperous TradeUnion (SBSI), were demanding improvements to workers' welfare and thatMay 1 be declared a national holiday. (djo/sss)

* * *

Prominent NU cleric Abdullah Faqih to lead anti- Papernas group

Antara News - April 14, 2007

Surabaya -- Prominent Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) cleric and the caretaker ofthe Langitan pesantren (traditional Islamic boarding school) in Tuban,East Java, KH Abdullah Faqih has been chosen to lead a group opposingthe National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas).

The senior ulama (Islamic scholar) has been appointed to be the advisorto the Friendship Forum to Safeguard Pancasila and the Unitary State ofthe Republic of Indonesia Against the Threat of Neo- Communism (ForumSilaturrahmi Mengawal NKRI dan Pancasila dari Ancaman Neo-Komunisme)that held a consolidation meeting in the East Java provincial capital ofSurabaya on Saturday, which was attended by delegations from Sumatra,Java and West Nusa Tenggara.

"The PKI [Indonesian Communist Party] has indeed been destroyed, butcommunist ideas are resurfacing through various means and because ofthis vigilance is needed", said Faqih who is also one of the founders ofthe Ulama National Awakening Party (PKNU).

Faqih believes that one of the ways in which ex-PKI or PKI cadres arerising up again is through politics, education and the law. "Thepolitical means being undertaken includes among other things efforts torevoke the Tap MPRS XXV/1966(1), but it failed", he said.

"Now, they are trying to take advantage of the situation and conflictsthe Indonesian nation is experiencing, most recently by building a newpolitical movement. This conflicts with [the state ideology of]Pancasila and Islam, because of this it must be resisted", he asserted.

Speaking separately with Antara News during a break in the event, GusSolah explained that it would be best to invite Papernas to address thelegal factors because Indonesia is a constitutional state. "But, thelegal efforts shouldn't be juridical in character, rather a submissionto the Constitutional Court in the form of an appeal or judicialreview", explained the younger brother of former President AbdurrahmanWahid(2).

Speaking in a similar vein, the deputy chairperson of the goodwillcommittee, Arukat Djaswadi said that they are urging the government toact immediately against Papernas because it has violated the MPRSDecree, Law Number 27/1999(3) on State Security, and many other laws.

"Because of this, it is time for the government to act firmly, becausethey are most clearly an embryo of a communist [party], because they usethe principle of populist democracy, whereas if they [want to] live inIndonesia they must use Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution"

, he said.

The head of the Center for Indonesian Community Studies (CICS) explainedthat Papernas cannot be dealt with of by juridical means becausePapernas uses the ideology of logic, however Papernas has clearlyviolated the "rules of the game" in Indonesia and the government must befirm.

Similar comments were made by Kasdi. "The aroma of the PKI insidePapernas is strong, including the view that the 1945 [nationalist]revolution is unfinished, the jargon of Tripanji(4) and the focus onworkers, farmers and the urban poor", he said.

Notes:

1. Tap MPRS XXXV/1996: MPRS Decree Number XXXV/1996 on the Dissolutionof the Indonesian Communist Party and Prohibitions on Marxist, Leninistand Communist Teachings

2. Following the attack by the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) on Papernasin Jakarta on March 29 Wahid publicly condemned the incident saying thatit was unconstitutional and if the government stays quiet on the issueit will endanger the life of the nation. He also called on police to actfirmly against the FPI. Wahid was scheduled to speak at a Papernasdeclaration that had to be postponed because of the attack.

3. Law No. 27/1999 is a revision to the Criminal Code that codifies theMPRS Decree.

4. Tripanji - Papernas' Three Banners of National Unity: Abolishing theforeign debt, nationalising the mining industry and building thenational industry for the welfare of the people.

Medan (SIB) -- Dozens of people from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI)demonstrated at Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) in the NorthSumatra regional capital of Medan on Tuesday April 10 against theNational Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas). The protesters believethat Papernas is extremely dangerous because it only wants to legaliseand provide legal guarantees to commercial sex workers and is hidingbehind the mask of the state ideology of Pancasila and the 1945Constitution.

The demonstrators gave speeches and issued a statement against theestablishment of Papernas, which held its founding congress inKaliurang, Central Java in January. They said that this was extremelydangerous because the denial of religious values is becoming ever morerampant and fate of the country will be to degenerate into anuncivilized nation.

Action organisers Muhammad Iqbal and Ustad Muliyamin said that Papernasonly acknowledges Pancasila as the country's ideological basis and the1945 Constitution as a constitution. In addition to this, Papernas'adheres to imperialist principles (sic) in order to try to recruitmembers from all sectors of society, particularly from the workingclass, farmers, students and the urban poor. Based on this, the FPI isasking that the National Unity and Social Protection Agency (KesbangLinmas) not to accept Papernas' when it registers itself nationally onJune 2.

They also called on the national and North Sumatra General ElectionCommission not to verify the registration of a party that has communismas its ideology, because it violate Tap MPRS Number 25/1996 and LawNumber 27/1999(1) on the dissolution of the Indonesian Communist Party.They are also asking the police as investigators and the enforcers ofthe law to have the courage to take firm action against Papernas anddisband all of its regency and municipal offices throughout North Sumatra.

The FPI is also asking the leaders and members of the North Sumatra DPRDto be more careful and stay on guard against the communist movement inthe legislator because they suspect that it has already been infiltratedby certain individuals who want to spread communist ideology in NorthSumatra and that they also suspect that the mastermind behind thisspread is the financier of Papernas in North Sumatra.

They are therefore asking the people of North Sumatra to be wary ofagitation and propaganda that is being manipulated by certainirresponsible individuals to overthrow the Pancasila state and the 1945Constitution and replace it with communist ideas. (A13/c)

Notes:

1. Tap MPRS XXXV/1996 - MPRS Decree Number XXXV/1996 on the Dissolutionof the Indonesian Communist Party and Prohibitions on Marxist, Leninistand Communist Teachings. Law No. 27/1999 is a revision to the CriminalCode that codifies the MPRS Decree.